Voices
by Dr.Flax
Summary: Kirby, weary from battle, returns home for some rest. But voices from his past have other plans...


** So I am writing this after I saw an inspiring comment on the video/song "Zero Two is Dying." It goes pretty well with the story… Just a little One Shot.**

** I don't own Kirby**

"I just want to sleep."

Kirby, exhausted, pushed open the door to his hemispherical house. He immediately fell over from a sheer lack of will.

"You must be tired…" came a voice likened to ice scraping on metal. "The Star Warrior wants a reprieve. How ironic…"

Kirby groaned, muffled from his face being planted firmly on the carpet.

A distorted female voice spoke up.

"We should have finished you when we had the chance." She went on. "You should have let us! You brought this all on yourself.

Another, low, monotone voice chimed in.

"Tired of all the fighting? Tired of battling? Of **murder?**"

The last voice was one Kirby recognized all too well. It was shrill and giggling.

"Oh, little Kirby! The one who went off to save all! Now you're paying for it."

The monotonous voice of Zero mused:

"You were so eager to help the Dreamlanders overcome me. What happened to that enthusiasm?" Zero would have chuckled if he had the capacity.

Nightmare's voice of icy coldness made Kirby shiver.

"You stopped at nothing to reassemble the Star Rod and defeat me. I suppose a hero's work is never done. You've made yourself the protector. Now, all of these people rely on you; to keep them safe from monsters like us."

Drawcia chimed in. "Even without your limbs, you still rolled through the painted Dreamland to end me."

Marx's giggling came again. He sarcastically cooed:

"It must be awful to be the hero. The one who is always called upon to do what people are too scared to do. When the moon and sun were fighting, who sped off on a star to stop it? You!"

Zero spoke again.

"What is it that you gain from all of this?"

Kirby was crawling to his bed now, unable to quell the raging storm in his head. He closed his eyes in pain at that question.

Kirby cried out, clearly fighting to stop the voices.

"Yes, do tell, HERO!" The others erupted into raucous laughter.

Kirby gripped his temples in sheer agony. The laughter was harsh and mocking. Why are they_ doing this? _They should be dead!

Drawcia grunted, as if reading his thought.

"We only move on when we are at peace. And we are getting that opportunity now."

Another voice, small and gentle halted the others' howls of hysteria.

"Kirby." It stated flatly. "I wanted to know why you helped me. Why did you fix my ship? You could have me to rot in its flaming hull. But instead… you vowed to help me get back on my… err… feet and help me back to my home planet."

Kirby gasped in another fit of pain. He crawled to his bed, vision rimmed red. He clawed at the floor with desperation. He screamed in agony. He rolled over and stared at the ceiling, completely still.

Magolor said sadly:

"You brought this burden on yourself the moment you promised those people that you'd get the stars back… And you worsened it by following through. And by this, people have taken advantage of you for ill will. You were a pawn…"

Kirby's eyes fogged. He was crying, ever so slightly, coughing up his sorrow. He wasn't sure anymore.

"_Who am I?" _He thought. "_What did I do for all this…?" _

"You made a promise." The villains chanted together. "A promise that you'll live up to till death. A vow that binds you to sleepless nights and bitter quarrels with beings that you harbor no malice towards; People who have done no wrong to you. You are trusted… You are… a hero…"

Kirby howled in torment,

**"PLEASE!" **He cried, tears streaming down his face, **"I JUST WANT TO SLEEP!" **

The voices erupted in hysterics again, save for Zero and Magolor. Kirby's eyes glazed over. He became blank and unmoving. The brightness in his face had slipped away. Kirby was paling fast, rapidly becoming a grayish hue. They had crushed him… Kirby had lost the will to fight. He had lost the flame that kept him going for years and years on end.

_The urge to be the hero had been extinguished._

Heroes never die. They never die.

They turn. They are corrupted to hollow shells.

They lose the battle raging within their minds.

Heroes never die. They live on in the hearts of people they inspired.

And the death of a hero is never mourned.

The hero is always remembered as the savior, even after corruption.

And the people live on. And more heroes arise.

The spirit of the hero is transferred to the people, so the people fight on.

** This story had me on the verge of tears at times. Kirby fighting to quell the storm was inspired by migraines I have on occasion. **

** And yes, I did use Hinawa's "You must be tired" from Mother 3 on purpose. Kirby is truly an obscure hero. He's a kid with an urge to help others, selflessly. And this urge has proven to be a fault. So I thought, "What if the spirits of dead villains came to him after a battle and tormented him while he desperately fought them off to sleep?" **

** He was supposed to have a lot more dialogue in the finished product, particularly when Zero asked him what he got out of heroics. But I'm happy I nixed it. It would have amounted to a happy ending that way! (T.T) **

** out… **


End file.
